This article talks about how client behavior has gotten worse in the bad economy. The comments section shows how this issue is rampant all over. But could it be that agencies brought part of this on themselves? Agencies always seem to want to think of themselves as their clients partner.
You are a vendor who provides a service. It really is that simple. It would seem that since the beginning ad agencies thought they were providing some super special service and would put up with more crap than other businesses because of many possible reasons:
They thought of themselves as a vital partner.
They thought what they were doing was true art so business and money came second.
They view their opinion as far too valuable.
Agencies always complain when their clients don't do exactly as they say, that they are the experts. Yet when agencies hire outside vendors they want to rule over them as well. ISn't a printer more of an expert in printing than some art director? Isn't an editor more of an expert as well? A photographer? The list goes on and on.
The entire industry is an opinion based service industry. So an agency must listen to their clients opinions, as should an agency listen to their own outside vendors opinions.
We are in the service industry. And we provide a service that has no guarantee of results, that is also expensive for the client to do. It's a fun job, but the problem is too many people who do it see it as far too important. You make shit to sell people shit. End of story.
So enjoy that you get to sit and think up stuff all day.
Don't like the asshole clients? Ditch them. The client won't care because a dozen other agencies will jump at the chance to work for them. And that's why clients know they can act like assholes, because the agency will most likely put up with it. Since an agency isn't bright enough to charge rush fees or anything of the sort.
Good, Cheap, Fast. You can pick any two. Now if people just had the guts to tell their clients that.
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9 comments:
you can look at our business in a more positive way too though-
We are an integral factor in a world of consumption. It all comes down to getting people to buy stuff. We have to constantly evolve the ways to get people to do that.
Therefore we are an invaluable resource to a capitalistic economy.
We're actually pretty important.
Not really. Look at a product like the Snuggie the ads were low budget and silly and bad. And they sold a ton of product. Would an agency that considers itself a vital partner produced work like that?
What products do you yourself buy because of advertising? Did you buy your car because of an ad? What other major products in your house did you buy because of advertising? Or more importantly how did you make the choice to buy them?
I know ads had nothing to do with the purchase of my cars, scooter, TV, refrigerator, furniture, bikes and most all of my clothing.
Oh you couldnt be more wrong. Your line of thinking is very provincial.
"Advertising" today spans more than radio, tv or print. One of the most successful ways of advertising is building brand image. Apple and Nike built their brand image up to create an appealing product. and they didnt necessarily do it with traditional advertising. They did it with design and with ingenuity and with strategically placed product and taking advantage of emerging trends. It WAS NOT an accident.
That is what makes us so important. We find new pervasive ways get brands in front of the consumer. Did you know that companies are now using Twitter for customer service? That's marketing right there.
Strategies dont have to be high budget and acually "good" to be successful. The Snuggie is a perfect example. Its just another product that people dont need. But there are enough people out there that just need to see an infomercial and a charismatic pitchman to help them make a decision.
And some just need an apple with a bite out of it on a product to make one too.
People are buying things based on product research verses advertising. This is the new way.
not completely. That's becoming prevalent, but you're missing the bigger picture in branding.
Its still important for millions of people to surround themselves in significant brands.
Brand building is part needed and part complete BS. Most major name brands took a long long time to become what they are. What we do is not important at all. I still ask what things you have bought because of advertising? Small things like some new food at Taco Bell I have been influenced by the ad, but more so because it informed me something new exists at a place I already go.
I dont agree. I do agree that advertising in a traditional sense is incredibly less effective these days and there are new ways to affect people's thoughts and habits. ad agencies that want to stick around have to embrace brand building and social media and other advanced strategies to be useful to their client. I think that we're incredibly useful in bringing these new strategies to the client so they can make more money.
There is nothing new about social media. Its just an easy way for an agency to not spend money with hard cost of buying media. They can keep all of the money for themselves.
Social media is modern day word of mouth. And people can spread their thoughts to more people quicker. So it's a risk a brand may take. A brand must be willing to let it happen naturally. When you try to force it you get something like the PSP fiasco done by a St. Louis agency.
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